Canada wins three bronze medals in a Rowing World Cup event in Poland

Lesley Thompson-Willie (Canadian Olympic Committee) (with permission)

Team Canada won three bronze medals on Sunday in a World Cup of Rowing event in Poznan, Poland. Carling Zeeman of Hamilton, Ontario won the bronze medal in women’s single sculls, Olympic silver medalist Conlin McCabe of Brockville, Ontario and Kai Langerfeld of Vancouver, British Columbia won the bronze medal in men’s pairs and Team Canada won the bronze medal in the men’s eights. The men’s eights were comprised of Cody Bailey of St. Mary’s, Ontario, Martin Barakso of Nanaimo, British Columbia, Jakub Buczek of Burnaby, British Columbia, Mackenzie Copp of London, Ontario. Olympic silver medalist Will Crothers of Kingston, Ontario, Benjamin De Wit of Port Alice, British Columbia, Taylor Perry of Hamilton, Ontario and Gavin Stone of Brampton, Ontario.

However what was sensational about the Canadian bronze in the men’s eights is the fact that 60 year-old female rower Lesley Thompson-Willie of London, Ontario was the coxswain. Thompson-Willie has won five Olympic medals for Canada in women’s rowing, but was with the men’s program on Sunday. Thompson-Willie won the gold medal for Canada in women’s eights at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, a silver medal for Canada in women’s eights at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and the 2012 Olympic Games in London, a silver medal in the women’s coxed fours at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and a bronze medal in the women’s eights at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. McCabe and Crothers won the silver medal for Canada in men’s eights at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

In the women’s single sculls in Poland,  Zeeman had a third place time of eight minutes, 5.11 seconds. Emma Twigg of New Zealand won the gold medal with a time of eight minutes, 4.45 seconds. Magdalena Lobnig of Austria won the silver medal with a time of eight minutes, 4.57 seconds. Zeeman, who had a slow start and excellent finish, reached the podium by 0.79 seconds over Kara Kohler of the United States, who had a fourth place time of eight minutes, 5.9 seconds.

In the men’s pairs, McCabe and Langerfeld had a third place time of six minutes, 43.34 seconds. Joshua Booth and Alexander Hill of Australia won the gold medal with a time of six minutes, 38.23 seconds. Thomas Murray and Michael Brake of New Zealand won the silver medal with a time of six minutes, 39.49 seconds. McCabe and Langerfeld reached the podium by 6.4 seconds over Martin Mackovic and Milos Vasic of Serbia, who had a fourth place time of six minutes, 49.74 seconds.

In the men’s eights, Canada had a third place time of five minutes, 48.44 seconds. Germany won the gold medal with a time of five minutes, 45.83 seconds. Great Britain won the silver medal with a time of five minutes, 47.74 seconds. Canada reached the podium by 1.31 seconds over New Zealand. who had a fourth place time of five minutes, 49.75 seconds. The medals for Zeeman, McCabe, Langerfeld, Bailey, Barakso, Buczek, Copp, Crothers, De Wit, Perry, Stone, and Thompson-Willie will give them confidence as they prepare for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. 

 

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